It depends on how much "computing" you want to do. An iPad is a tablet computer, and yes - you can download books and read them. I download books to my iPhone all the time from my local library...

Not sure what the Kindle does, other than give you a way to download books.

Since I'm a computer nerd, I'm going iPad for Christmas. :)

We love our iPad........it's amazing and so easy to take along with you.

I have an iPad and love it. It will do most of what a computer does. Seems there is an 'app' for just about anything.
Mine is 3G or wifi so I can use it anywhere.
Don't remember the last time I even used my laptop.
I'm posting from it now.

I have an older Kindle which is just an ereader and I love it. If you are considering a tablet (ipad, for example) you are in a whole different category. The ipad is a computer and a reader. I suggest you read some of the recent tech columns on CNN that compares the brand new kindle Fire to the ipad. Kindle Fire is a computer/reader,less expensive than ipad but doesn't do everything. Just read a little and see what you really want to do with it. I have laptop and kindle which both work well still, so I am not in a market for a tablet-yet!

I've kind of been wondering the same thing. Here's a link I found that was very informative. I haven't bought anything yet so had to buy a book this weekend. I bought it from a small locally owned store and they gave me a bookmark and on the back it talked about ereaders. It thanked me for my business and told me not to buy a Kindle if I was going to buy an ereader since Kindle can only get books from Amazon. They recommended Nook so I could buy ebooks from their store. I was about ready to get a Kindle but I'm rethinking it now.

Anyway, this article is very good explaining the pros and cons of all the major options.

Here is a link that might be useful: e-reader comparison

You can also lend books from most libraries to use on your Kindle if you live in the States. This is a new feature. Also some of the publishers will allow books to be lent from one Kindle to another and there are forums set up where books are lent back and forth to strangers.

I absolutely love the Kindle that I bought and I also have an iPad which is the first generation one. I use it to play games, email, surf the net, play music, contains my photo albums. So much more you can do with it. You can also read books on it but the battery won't last as long as the Kindle before needing to be recharged.

Thank you, all! A few follow on questions, please.

I guess another difference between an eReader (I was using "Kindle" as generic) and tablet ("iPad") is that, once you pay for th eReader, there's no other charge except books and with the tablet there is a monthly connection charge, right?

Why would someone want both a Kindle and an iPad if an iPad also is a reader, other than the battery life issue?

And what's the difference between a tablet and a notebook?

Again, thanks! Clearly I've got a lot to learn.

I love my kindle. I have about 300 free books on it. I read every day. I take it with me to doctor's and dentist offices, etc. It is very light weight, slips into my purse. I purchased it because I only wanted a reader, nothing else. There are games available to download on it also. I can read for several weeks without recharging the battery. If I were buying something today, I would still buy a Kindle. Oh yes, I purchased one for my college age granddaughter, she downloaded her text books on it, saving mega bucks. What you purchase depends on what you want to do with it.

I don't pay any monthly fee for my iPad. If I want to download anything, I have wifi.

I have neither tablet nor eReader, so I have nothing to add. But I'm surprised no one has mentioned money. Members of my family have both, and it seems to me the iPads cost several times the price of the Kindles.

Also, from playing with both of them I have to say the iPads are heavier and much more awkward to hold than the Kindles. I've never tried to read a book on an iPad, but I've read in reviews that the Kindles are easier on the eyes--as they are designed to be.

arosegirl, what model Kindle do you and your granddaughter have? And why do some have a keyboard, if all you can do is read on them?

Alisande is right. It is easier on the eyes to read the Kindle. Also it is impossible to read an iPad out in the sun, so if you like to read outside, a Kindle is the way to go. You need the keyboard if you want to make notes, put your books into collections, and also to register your Kindle and add a password to Amazon. I hardly ever use the keyboard but it is a must have feature for the Kindle. The Kindles really have come down in price and I could upgrade, but I am content with my Kindle 3 aka Kindle Keyboard now.

One thing you use the keyboard for is to search for book titles you want to buy/get. Kindle does use only Amazon for books, but I don't think that is any kind of problem. I usually search for my next book on my laptop because I can move around more easily when I don't have a specific title in mind. The kindle with 3G means you can download from anywhere that a cell phone would work. The wifi makes it easier to borrow from a library. You do not need to have wifi at home to use this feature. Many cafes and coffee shops etc have free wifi so you could go there to use that feature. The ipads are pricey...you really need to know what you are likely to do with it to see if it is worth the price for you. But once you buy the kindle, the only thing you pay for is a book. Many of us with kindles already have wifi for our laptops so we don't consider that an additional cost for the kindle. Again, my kindle is 3G only. Oh, do you know you can also subscribe to newspapers and magazines on kindle?

Suzieque:

Your questios are VERY timely for me, as I, too, am considering a Kindle vs. an iPad/tablet.

The differnce between a tablet and a notebook is that a notebook is a small laptop, with a lid that closes & a keypad. A tablet, such as an iPad, has no lid, and the keypad is located on the screen (in applications/uses that requre a keypad).

There are a lot of factors as to why someone would have BOTH a tablet & an eReader. A tablet weighs about twice as much as an eReader. Plus, a tablet is primarily a computer, not a eReader. I can download a Kindle application to both my desktop & laptop computers, but I don't want to read books on either one.

I'm probably going to get a Kindle, and sometime in the future get a tablet. If I do, I'll give my Kindle to DH.

Ellen

We have the original Kindle it is wifi, which I have at home. I have never used the keyboard, it came on it. If I am looking for a particular book or author I search for it on Amazon. I have always found what I was looking for. I purchased a little clip on light which is an accessory and have read fom my Kindle many times on a bus while traveling at night.

I have several word games that I lay on my Kindle and you need the keyboard for them.

I have to chime in and sing the virtures of the iPod Touch, 4th Generation. I love mine; I can't leave home without it. Heck; I can't leave the room without it.

The iPod Touch has 64 GB of memory; the iPads I looked at had only 32. I don't know if there's one with a larger memory or not.

My iPod's screen is smaller than a Kindle reader, but I have no trouble with it at all. I have the free Kindle Reader App, Audible program, iScroll, Ebook Reader, and "FreeBooks" and "Audiobooks" Apps all downloaded into it. I read/listen to books on all of the various readers. I have hundreds of free books, both "printed" and audio.

I can also download regular audio books from Audible.com into it, OR I can load my audiobook discs into the computer, zap them over to the iPod, and take them with me that way.

I have Apps for everything. I'll do an update later today or tomorrow and add links for some of them. Right now I'm inventoring ALL of my books (hundreds and hundreds), DVDs, CDs, videos, etc. into the iPod on a "MyStuff2" App.

I use the iPod to take a photo of the book/DVD/whatever's bar code and a list is formed (in about 2 seconds) that shows the cover art, title, publisher, pages, edition, author/artists, etc. The lists can be broken into categories, or not, and can be downloaded to the computer, printed, etc. I LOVE this app.

I have a similar one, "Sewing Kit," that inventories and tracts all my sewing/crafting patterns, tools, supplies etc.

I could go on for days and days about all the uses for an iPod. It also comes loaded with detailed contact/address book, Notes pad, calendars with alarms, sleep mode, camera, weather alerts, maps, email access, email/internet access etc., etc., etc. There's no monthly charge; works off my Wi-Fi.

You may want to check out the iPod option, too.

Oh yeah...it also plays music, but that's the last reason I purchased it for. (But I do have 1,438 songs in it right now, and 1,146 easily accessed and arranged photos). We have a small Bose player; pop the iPod in the slot and the audio books (and music) sounds wonderful.

iPods rock.

The iPod has the same OS as iPhone; so the Apps work on it.

I bought a Kindle for one of my friends about a year and half ago. She absolutly loves it. I want to check out the Kindle Fire, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Info on the MyStuff2 App

Ellen, if you are considering the Kindle you might want to wait a few weeks and get the Fire (Amazon). The Fire will do most everything the first iPad does and it is going to sell for $199.00. (it will not have a camera or microphone).

It's not 3G but will use wifi for surfing/dowloading.

I have an iPad, if I didn't I would consider the Fire.

I also have a Kindle, which I don't find is that easy to use for
email/surfing. Great for reading on the beach!

ML

I have to agree with all that an iPod touch can do too. I have one of the first touches. I have hinted that a new one for Christmas would suit me just fine. ;-) I love all of my toys. The iPad is a little big to carry around just to read for a few minutes here and there but my little Touch was what I used for a long time before I got the Kindle. It was not good for reading outside though.

I have both a kindle and an Ipad because they were gifts. Ipad will cost minimum 500.00 and does everything a kindle and computer do so it's the whole experience and a good one plus the screen is 13 inches. Kindle has several models, one with 3g allows you to use the internet on it. The size is small and, for me, hard to use the kb. BUT if you wait a few months Amazon is coming out with a new pad that does both internet, downloading and books and will retail for 199.00 I don't know the size of it yet but they say it could be a competitor to the Ipad, that will only hold true if it's larger than the current Kindle. I use both of these items, the Kindle to read as you have many many hours of usage before it needs a charge and the Ipad cuz it fits in my purse and connects just about everywhere. I pay one wifi cost at home.

I just wanted to jump in and say there are many many more great tablets out there other than the ipad and much cheaper too. I have a few and absolutely love them, I can do pretty much what I do on my pc and I have several different ereader apps on them so I can read kindle format books, I can read epub format like nook books and get ebooks from the library since they also use epub format. That way I can get my books from pretty much anywhere I am not limited to just Amazon. I have lots of free books I get from sites all over the internet.

I tried my brother in laws kindle before I ever made a purchase and it just was not for me, the flash of page turns messed with me and gave me headaches. And if I was going to spend the money I wanted one that did more than just one thing.

If you do searches here and at the computer help forum you will find many of us here have other tablets like the Pandigital Novel, and other Android OS tablets. I just recently bought a sylvania one which I am really enjoying.

I do have one device that is strictly an ereader, it has color and it connects to wifi so I can get books directly to it, it is a Lookbook and they have had them on sale from time to time at CVS for $50 an amazing price it looks very much like the kindle and it comes with a very nice case.

Do some searches here for the many many threads we have where we discuss them and the various options.

I have paid under $150 for all of mine. I just can not see paying so much more for an ipad. My hairdresser was looking at my new tablet recently and said she liked it a lot better than her ipad, to me the ipad it a little large and heavy that was her complaint also.

I also love the Andorid OS and all the tons of apps out there you can add to the device. I have a ton of games on mine and like I said several ereader apps, I watch youtube, videos, music, pictures, surf, post here from them, do my email. Honestly I am rarely on my desktop anymore since I can sit anywhere in the house with my tablet, and it is lighter weight than my netbook (netbook is just a small version of a notebook or laptop)

Pandigital Novel eReaders

LookBook

a great place to see how many of the tablets are available is to check out China Grabber, I would not get any that were not at least Android 2.2 they can do a lot more stuff.There are some however that come with android 2.1 and then do an update which brings them up to 2.2 which is how my sylvania was.

Android 2.2 Froyo Tablets

here are some that have Android 3.0 which is the most recent versions
android 3.0 tablets"

So don't think just ipad if you do you are really limiting yourself. These little tablets pack a big punch and can do a LOT of stuff.

AND none of the tablets I have use a cell phone connection so there is absolutely NO monthly charges involved, they connect to wifi easily and you can do all your internet stuff that way.

I found one of the topics we had here recently you can check out, there are many more if you search
lookbook ereader & sylvania tablet at CVS this week

If you keep watch at CVS it goes on sale for $50
Shift3 LOOKBOOK Wireless Reader

In fact I am just now looking at the current CVS flier on their website and the same sylvania touch screen tablet I have and love is on sale right now for $99.99 it is on page 6 of the flier. On sale through Oct 8! If you want to try out a tablet this is a great way to give it a shot and not spend a ton of money. They sell out fast and I had to call several stores to find them available. Hey you can always return it...
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/home/home.jsp

Here is a link that might be useful: cvs

I love my Nook color but I'd sell it in a flash if I could have the Ipad. Both my daughters have one. Yesterday Carri brought hers out here and "called" my other daughter on hers....

I got to see and talk to my great grandbabies that just moved to the Des Moines area a few weeks ago...Miss Lilah just turned two...She's a bit confused with so many Grandma's so she just smiled at me and said "I wuv you Pot"

I melted.

Denny asked me if I wanted one...I answered "who wouldn't"

I want to talk to them and watch them grow.

I can download a book reader on it. Not sure which one. But if I have a choice it will be Nook.

patti

Pattico...if you get the iPad, you can load several "readers" into it. You can have Nook, Kindle, iScroll, eBook, etc. I'm going to download the Nook system into my iPod in the next day or two.

I would guess they were using skype to do a video chat if that is what they used you can use skype on many devices to do the same thing, not just ipad. There is a skype for android app you can get free for the android tablets as well as android phones, as long as your device has a camera they can see you as well. Here is a little youtube showing the skype for android app at work in a video call.
Skype for Android App - Now with Video Calling!

there are many many ereader apps available I have several of them but my all time fave and the highest rated one is Aldiko it is super easy to use and has all the bells and whistles. I prefer it over my nook app and the PDN reader app. I do have the kindle app since I do have some kindle format books that I have not changed to epub yet. Makes it so easy to read any book on one device.
http://www.aldiko.com/index.html

The calling is called something like "Facespace"...not sure about the second half but the first part is face.

patti

It's called face time. I think one of the things that's appealing about Apple products is that they're so intuitive and easy to use for those who are not as tech oriented. DH is technically challenged and he loves Apple products.

I love my Kindle but want an iPad! Not as a reader but so that I don't have to cart my laptop around with me. Gibby3000 I never believed that till I got my iPhone. I love it, you are so right! Once I 'unlearned' my blackberry habits I fell in love.